Quick release hook



June 17, 1947. MQORE I QUICK RELEASE HQOK s sheetssheet 1 Filed Aug.v 2l, 1944 June 17; 1947. w,v G, MOORE QUICK-RELEASE HooK F'iled Aug. 21,1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17,11947. W, @MOORE 2,422,363

QUICK RELEASE HOOK l Filed Aug.' 21, 1944 3 Sheets-Shea#l 3 Patented June 17, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 21, 1944, Serial No. 550,404 In Great Britain August 18, 1943 2 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relative to quick release or slip hooks such as are used, for example, in launching gear for ships lifeboats or rafts, couplings lfor railway and other vehicles and the like. The invention is also concerned with improvements in launching gear for ships lifeboats.

An object of the invention is to provide a quickl release hook .of such a. construction that very little effort is required to effect the releasing operation even although the load on the link or coupling at the-time of release may be considerable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a quick release hook which, whilst it can easily and quickly be released, can be relied upon to take a substantial load without risk of failure.

A still further object of the invention is to pron vide the combination with a pair of quick release hooks, secure-d one at each end of a lifeboat, of means for releasing said hooks simultaneously from a common operating station so as to avoid the risk of one end of the boat being released before the other.

A still further object of the invention is to pro* vide a quick release hook, particularly suitablefor use in a boat launching gear, which is of simple and durable construction and is reliable in operation even in icing conditions.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon:

Figure l is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention suitable for use, as a quick release hook, in connection with a lifeboat launching gear or the like, or as a railway or other vehicle coupling.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the release hook shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a front elevation similar to Figure l but showing the position of the parts after the hook has been released,

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing a convenient manner in which the release hook shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 can be attached to the deck of a ship for use, for example, as a quick release for rafts supported on inclined slide-ways at the side of the ship.

FigureV 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modication of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4,

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating an application of the invention to the launching gear of a ships lifeboat.

Figure 7 is a detail front. elevation 0f the release hook provided at the fore endof the boat shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of Figure '7,

Figure 9 is a detail front elevation of the release hook provided at the aft end of the boat shown in Figure 6,`and

Figure 10 is a plan View of Figure 9.

The quick release hook shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 comprises a link I0 formed by a pair of cheek plates II riveted together in spaced apart relationship as indicated at I2 and I3. A sliphook I4 is pivoted to one end of the link I0 on the rivet I2. The slip-hook has an abutment in the form of a tail I5 adapted to slide between the cheek plates I i The link Ill has a closed slot I6,

- formed in the cheek plates I I, extending along its axis, and a roller stopor keeper I'I extends through this slot and is adapted to roll therein. A hand lever I8 for releasing the slip-hook is pivoted to the link Il) at I9. This lever comprises a pair of cheek plates 20 arranged one on each side of the link I0 and riveted together in spaced apart relationship as indicated at 2|. One arm of the lever I8, a long arm 22, constitutes a handle proper and the other, a short arm 23, has a curved cam-slot 24 through which the ends of the abovementioned roller stop Il pass. The shape of the slot 24 in the hand lever, and the position .thereof in relation to the pivot I9, are such that when the lever is moved about its pivot the roller stop I'I is rolled from one end of the slot I6 to the other end. The ends of the roller stop l1 which pass through the cheek plates of the link II) and the hand lever I3 are of reduced diameter compared with the centre part of the said stop which lies between the cheeks of the link and is adapted to be engaged by the tail of the hook. This enlarged centre part of thestop retains it in the link. Y, The link I0 has a shoulder Illa which serves to close the mouth of the hook when the latter is in its operative position as shown in Figure 1.

In use one of the members to be Coupled t0- gether is attached by a'shackle or the like 25 to the slip-hook and the other member is attached to the link by a shackle or the like 26 on the rivet I 3. The tail I5 of the hooklies between the cheek plates II of the link and the handle is in a position in which it constrains the roller stop to take up a position, in its slot, in which it engages the tail of the slip-hook as shown in Figure l, and prevents movement thereof in the'release direction. The pull on the shackle 25 acts close to the pivot I2 of the hook and there is no substantial force tending to turn the hook and apply `to lone of .-the ropes ,'33.

pressure to the roller stop, the load being taken substantially in the direction of the length of the link. To release the coupling it is only necessary, With the large amount of leverage provided, to apply a small effort to the hand lever 22 so that the freely movable roller stop II is moved to the opposite end of the slot IB in the link, whereupon the `tail 4of TAthe hook is released and `the hook swings irelyeso as to cast off fthe shackle attached to it as shown in Figure 3.

It will be seen that in effect, with the coupling according to the present invention, Whilst the load taken by the coupling acts substantially along the length of the coupling the :means A(e. g. the roller stop) preventing release oftheloaded coupling acts in a 4direction Vv.Wliich;-inay 'be substantially normal to the direction yoth'e load fso that release of the coupling does not have to be` In'the modiiication shown-in Figure thehook I4 is pivoted by its nose to'theelink If Vso that the hook is closed completelywh'en the tail -l5 is in -engagementvvith the roller stop H. k

Where the hook has to bean'choredto lthe deck of -a boat -or the like it is 'convenient-to, do this by means of an adjustable 'Warwick "or bottle screw f2-8 as 1shown in Figure 4.

Thecoupling, according to -the presentinvention, has many applications Which include the coupling together Aof Wagons, the support Oi-Ships liieboatsfrom'the fall ropesof the'davitsso lthat Ythe Jboats can -loe cast :oi quickly, land the securing of fcargo or Ilife-saving rafts to a ships deck. AIn 'the latter case the coupling Wouldfbe secure'dbetweenfthe end of the lashing attached f' :to rthera'it andlthe deckfofthe y'ship"soithattthe 4ra-tt'vvhen required can 'be Vreleased quicklyby -the operation of the coupling.

A specific example o'fthe application of a release hook, :of :the character above set iforth, Ato ethe launching sgear 'of `a lifeboatis =s`hown iin 'Fig- Aures -61to` 10. The release hooks provided fat the lfforesandzaft-endscf 'the boat, inthe arrangement shown, rare similar in construction .fto that 'described with reference to Figures '1, 'f2 `and 3 :and .like ,reference numerals lhave been -.used v to desigsnate alikeparts. 'The slotted cheek Lplates 20 `of ythe lcam elementsighovvever, .are in -ther'form 'of 'for comprise ssheave-:like 4members 4and the hook .carriers lfor links I I! .are anchored at 29 Aato brackfets'ii attachedlto therkeelson I foflthe boat. `The hooks tIr and'theuppersends o-thezlinks ltproiiect .through apertures in the sgang-planks 132. One :of zthe icheek :plates "Z6 of ltheaftireleaselhook 5 shown .in #Figure :9 :is provided with a fhandle .2 0a ,iorthesimultaneous release of both hooks. :For this purpose ropes 33 are anchoredattothe Asheave-,like--.c:heek plates A2li of the cam element 1-23 .of thefore lendihook.and arepartiallyireeved `tlfrerearound.and 'led-viasheaves :3 5 .to .thesl'iean/fedike ycheek plates ZIl fof `Athe aft yihookxcam element to 'which :they :are `similarly Iconnected. Screvv devices `36 :are provided tor adjusting the tension fof -zthe .ropes E3B. Insteadof `or-inaddition to the Ahandle V20a ,-a common operating member for the two hooks may be located in vsome yotherj-izvartof Athe :boat where it can .be connected conveniently The links .25 are, 'o course, attached tothejall ropes A'of lthe -.davits` The cam slot and the slot in the link may be shaped or inclined with respect to one another so that a gradual release of the load on the hook takes place (i. e. the iinal release movement may be speeded or retarded) or, if required, so that the load on the hook is eased or slackened prior to actual release.

:Che hook,.according.toitheinventiomis or can jreadily be made self-locking :because the hook will fall back into position ready to be re-engaged 4by the roller-stop Vl, and the latter will be re- "turned to the locking position by the Weight of .iiherhandle 22 moving the member I8 in the locking direction. VIn Figure 7 movement of the re- -`l-ease--member '26 is eiiected in both directions by Yproviding the/double rope and pulley shown in Figure :6. zOne rope may be dispensed With by providing the member 2D With a balance Weight to 4'return-it to the locking position.

I claim:

21. The combination with a lifeboat of launching gear"forftheboatincluding at eachendth'ere- .of aauic'k release hook-comprising va Shook carrier, .a hook .pivoted 4on said carrier, said hook havinganiabutment a slot in Saidcarrier, a stop movable in said slot into and outof Aengagement with said abutment of the hook and operative .when engaging :said abutment to hold the hook vagainst movement in :the release direction, a '.sheave journalled on the hook carrier andhaving a cam-slot embracing `the stop '-for effecting movement thereof v-in l the 'release direction, v means :securingveach thookf'carrier vto the boat, `a common Aoperating rmember for the sheaves ofzthe respecvtive quick release rhooks vand fa roperreeved on said sheaves and connected thereto tand Ito `the common Ioperating imember A`for ysimultaneous releasefof the 'two hooks.

2. Thezcombinationwithfalifeboat:of launch- :ing :gear for the boat Yincluding sat 'each l.end thereof va quick release lhook .comprising .fa :rhook carrier, -a hook .pivotedon r'said carrier, :said hook having an abutment, a slot in saidcarrienairoll- .erstop roll-able in Asaid -slotintopan'd out :of `en- WALTER GORDGN MOORE.

AitEFEREN(DES :CITED The following ,references .areof accord .inthe 'file .of `this .patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Y :Number 'Name ""Date 2,245,270 Goode June 1'0, .-1941 114513324 Casamayor ,.Apr. 10, 1923 1,281,370 Hills Qct. .x1-5., ,-1918 1,096,126 Rantzow May .12, `1914; 845,477 fOliver fleb. A26, 1907 85,685 AMortimer Jan. .15, :1869 72,866 Lanagan Dec. :31, :1868 

